BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP

High-resolution lithology, fossil content, ichnofabrics, and spectral gamma-ray emissions are studied in the Capo Mortola section in the Liguria region (NW Italy), correlating it with other sections in the same area during the middle Eocene (Bartonian). The succession unconformably overlies Upper C...

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Main Authors: VICTOR MANUEL GIRALDO-GÓMEZ, Antonino Briguglio, ANDREA BAUCON, CESARE ANDREA PAPAZZONI, JOHANNES PIGNATTI, ANTONELLA GANDOLFI, MICHELE PIAZZA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2025-05-01
Series:Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia
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Online Access:https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/24033
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author VICTOR MANUEL GIRALDO-GÓMEZ
Antonino Briguglio
ANDREA BAUCON
CESARE ANDREA PAPAZZONI
JOHANNES PIGNATTI
ANTONELLA GANDOLFI
MICHELE PIAZZA
author_facet VICTOR MANUEL GIRALDO-GÓMEZ
Antonino Briguglio
ANDREA BAUCON
CESARE ANDREA PAPAZZONI
JOHANNES PIGNATTI
ANTONELLA GANDOLFI
MICHELE PIAZZA
author_sort VICTOR MANUEL GIRALDO-GÓMEZ
collection DOAJ
description High-resolution lithology, fossil content, ichnofabrics, and spectral gamma-ray emissions are studied in the Capo Mortola section in the Liguria region (NW Italy), correlating it with other sections in the same area during the middle Eocene (Bartonian). The succession unconformably overlies Upper Cretaceous open-marine deposits and records a deepening trend on a carbonate ramp during the middle Eocene. Six different microfacies have been recognized along the section, recording the variation in fossil content, especially in the larger benthic foraminiferal assemblages, and the lithology, which indicate a deepening trend in the succession. The variation in Th/U ratios allows for differentiation of oxidizing, normal, and reducing conditions throughout the succession. The increase in the concentration of Th and K suggests periods of increased terrigenous material, which was supplied by a fluvial system close to the studied section. In turn, the Th/K ratio shows an alternation between smectite and kaolinite, which are respectively associated with warm-humid and seasonal humid/dry climates. The upper part of the section shows the incipient drowning of the ramp and differs from nearby studied sections in biotic components, lithology, and depth of the basin related to the specific paleogeographic settings of each portion of the ramp. We were able to identify sectors more prone to seafloor instabilities due to their proximity to the shoreline and the deltaic influence, whereas others were located considerably deeper or farther out with respect to the input of deltaic sediments.
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spelling doaj-art-67a80dcb2b734831a421b1168d820bd02025-08-20T03:22:25ZengMilano University PressRivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia0035-68832039-49422025-05-01131210.54103/2039-4942/24033BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMPVICTOR MANUEL GIRALDO-GÓMEZ0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6112-2912Antonino Briguglio1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5799-0330ANDREA BAUCON2CESARE ANDREA PAPAZZONI3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5222-7184JOHANNES PIGNATTI4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5172-1962ANTONELLA GANDOLFI5https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8783-3755MICHELE PIAZZA6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7189-0982Ellington Geological Services, 1414 Lumpkin Rd, 77043 Houston, USA.University of Genoa University of Genoa University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Sapienza University of Rome University of Genoa University of Genoa High-resolution lithology, fossil content, ichnofabrics, and spectral gamma-ray emissions are studied in the Capo Mortola section in the Liguria region (NW Italy), correlating it with other sections in the same area during the middle Eocene (Bartonian). The succession unconformably overlies Upper Cretaceous open-marine deposits and records a deepening trend on a carbonate ramp during the middle Eocene. Six different microfacies have been recognized along the section, recording the variation in fossil content, especially in the larger benthic foraminiferal assemblages, and the lithology, which indicate a deepening trend in the succession. The variation in Th/U ratios allows for differentiation of oxidizing, normal, and reducing conditions throughout the succession. The increase in the concentration of Th and K suggests periods of increased terrigenous material, which was supplied by a fluvial system close to the studied section. In turn, the Th/K ratio shows an alternation between smectite and kaolinite, which are respectively associated with warm-humid and seasonal humid/dry climates. The upper part of the section shows the incipient drowning of the ramp and differs from nearby studied sections in biotic components, lithology, and depth of the basin related to the specific paleogeographic settings of each portion of the ramp. We were able to identify sectors more prone to seafloor instabilities due to their proximity to the shoreline and the deltaic influence, whereas others were located considerably deeper or farther out with respect to the input of deltaic sediments. https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/24033 Bartonian; microfacies; trace fossils; larger benthic foraminifera; spectral gamma-ray; shallow water; paleoenvironment; Ligurian Alps.
spellingShingle VICTOR MANUEL GIRALDO-GÓMEZ
Antonino Briguglio
ANDREA BAUCON
CESARE ANDREA PAPAZZONI
JOHANNES PIGNATTI
ANTONELLA GANDOLFI
MICHELE PIAZZA
BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP
Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia
Bartonian; microfacies; trace fossils; larger benthic foraminifera; spectral gamma-ray; shallow water; paleoenvironment; Ligurian Alps.
title BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP
title_full BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP
title_fullStr BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP
title_full_unstemmed BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP
title_short BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP
title_sort benthic ecosystem variations along the middle eocene provencal drowning ramp
topic Bartonian; microfacies; trace fossils; larger benthic foraminifera; spectral gamma-ray; shallow water; paleoenvironment; Ligurian Alps.
url https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/24033
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